Lyric brandishes a fresh, sharp ‘Camelot’

Monday

May 22, 2017 at 5:15 PMMay 22, 2017 at 5:16 PM

Michael Wyner Staff Writer

BOSTON - A beloved classic has been given a modern and lean spin in the Lyric Stage Company of Boston’s new production of “Camelot,” the musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, the same writing team known for “My Fair Lady” and “Brigadoon.”

Although I’m a musical theater geek, somehow I had never managed to catch this show. "Camelot" is well known to a generation of baby boomers who grew up on the cast recording with Julie Andrews, Richard Burton and Robert Goulet.

While I'm a newbie to the world of “Camelot,” I can’t imagine a more compelling and satisfying production. Director Spiro Veloudos, now in his 19th season as producing artistic director of the Lyric Stage, has made wonderful use of the Lyric’s intimate space to conjure up the classic King Arthur legend with all the familiar references to the wizard Merlin and the sword Excalibur.

The story has been stripped down in a new adaptation by David Lee that is rarely produced, and the Lyric Stage was given special permission to use after their sparkling version of “My Fair Lady” in 2015. Lee says he eliminated anything and anyone from the story that did not directly connect to the intriguing love triangle between King Arthur, his wife Guenevere and the noble Sir Lancelot of the Knights of the Round Table.

Two songs usually cut have been added back into the show, including “Fie on Goodness!” in which the evil Mordred, deliciously played by Rory Boyd, aims to turn the knights against the good intentions of their King Arthur.

The small cast ably fills out the wonderful world of Camelot. As noted in a question-and-answer session with the actors after the May 21 performance, some of the action happens off stage, and years can go by between scenes, allowing the audience to fill in the gaps with their imagination. The wonderful number of “The Jousts” is a great example of the knights and ladies simply narrating the action off stage and getting the audience wrapped up in the excitement.

The small set, wonderfully designed by Shelley Barish, lends itself to some great dance numbers choreographed by Rachel Bertone, including “The Lusty Month of May” with a charming routine around a maypole, and a cute number between Arthur and Guenevere in the second act titled “What Do the Simple Folk Do?”

Jared Troilo as Lancelot shows off his powerful voice in the classic “If Ever I Would Leave You” (my mother was particularly impressed), and reveals his comic chops in our first introduction to his noble persona in “C’est Moi.”

And you'll likely leave the theater with the title song “Camelot” stuck in your head for a couple of days (which I heard for the first time recently while watching the Oscar-nominated film “Jackie”).

King Arthur is nobly played by Ed Hoopman, trying to impart some decorum and civility into his kingdom, including the creation of a system of trial by judge and jury. Maritza Bostic, with her beautiful singing voice, puts her own unique spin on Guenevere.

The stunning costumes by Elisabetta Polito include some modern-day touches, such as the knights wearing jeans, helping to express the idea that the actors are doubling as modern-day storytellers who are passing down the legend of King Arthur. Even Guenevere’s hairstyle has been updated with stunning red streaks.

One audience member said after the performance that this lean version allows more focus on the characters and the music, including some lovely duets, and that it tells the story well. The creators themselves, Lerner and Loewe, are given a shout-out in the new script at the end, helping to pass down the legend of King Arthur’s nobility to future generations. This is truly a “Camelot” that speaks to our times.

Michael Wyner can be reached at 508-626-4441 or mwyner@wickedlocal.com.